Interviews & Documentaries
 

 

On "Orientalism" (1998)

Introduced by Sut Jhally.
Video and transcript by the Media Education Foundation.

Edward Said's book ORIENTALISM has been profoundly influential in a diverse range of disciplines since its publication in 1978. In this engaging (and lavishly illustrated) interview he talks about the context within which the book was conceived, its main themes and how its original thesis relates to the contemporary understanding of "the Orient."

 


In Search of Palestine: Edward Said's Return Home (1998)

BBC (UK 1998, 50 min.)

For Palestinian expatriate Edward Said, the return to his homeland amounted to a painful inquiry into his past. This program captures the interconnection between Said's personal recollections and the shared memory of the Palestinian people. Far from ignoring the contemporary realities of the Middle East, Said's perspective relates the ruins of history to the complacent and destructive policies of present-day governments, and delivers a powerful articulation of the weaknesses of the Oslo accords. His intellectual legacy provides valuable insight into the circumstances of the second intifada, as well as the faint steps toward peace that have followed.

"For Palestinian expatriate Edward Said, the return to his homeland amounted to a painful inquiry into his past. This program captures the interconnection between Said's personal recollections and the shared memory of the Palestinian people.

 


Edward Said: The Last Interview (2004)

By Mike Dibb. Available from First Run/Icarus Films, Brooklyn, NY

Said was diagnosed with incurable leukemia in 1991, and struggled with the disease throughout the decade, while continuing to write and teach. Towards the end of his life, as the disease and chemotherapy treatments sapped his energy, he stopped giving interviews. However, less than a year before his death in September 2003, he made an exception and over the course of three days spoke at length with the filmmakers about his illness, his work, Palestine and politics, his life and education, and his continuing preoccupations.

Professor Edward Said in what was probably his last interview, talking about his illness, music, Palestine and politics all around the world. Copyright Disclaimer: I do not own this clip. All rights reserved to Mike Dibb.